The present invention relates to oral devices, e.g., oral brushes. Related subject matter is disclosed in commonly assigned application Ser. Nos. 09/199,122 (abandoned) and 09/421,747(U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,634), filed on Nov. 24, 1998 and Oct. 20, 1999, respectively.
Conventional toothbrushes, having tufts of bristles mounted on a head, are generally effective at removing plaque from the flat surfaces of teeth and the areas between teeth and along the gumline that can be accessed by the bristles. However, such toothbrushes typically cannot clean interproximal and sub-gingival areas where tufts of bristles are unable to penetrate or reach. This is because the bristles tend to pass or flick over the gaps between the teeth and are usually physically impeded from reaching behind the interdental papillae and below the gumline. To clean these areas (col and sub-gingival areas), it is generally necessary to floss between the teeth with dental floss.
While flossing effectively cleans the supra-gingival and sub-gingival regions between teeth, many people do not floss regularly. Failing to floss regularly may result in gingivitis, which can lead to more serious gum diseases. These problems can occur despite regular toothbrushing.
The invention features oral devices, such as oral brushes, that are capable of providing interproximal and sub-gingival cleaning and/or gingival stimulation by compression of the papilla during brushing of the teeth. The term xe2x80x9cinterproximalxe2x80x9d refers to the areas between the teeth of a mammal. It is believed that these oral brushes provide clinical benefits, e.g., reduction of gingivitis, to users who do not floss regularly but who do use the oral brush regularly, relative to the benefits provided by using a conventional toothbrush with the same regularity without flossing.
In one aspect, the invention features an oral brush that includes a body having a head that is shaped for insertion into the oral cavity, tooth cleansing elements extending from a top surface of the head, and one or more rotatable elements, mounted on the head, including a central portion and a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the central portion, each protrusion having a double-taper, tapering from a relatively wide base to a relatively narrow tip.
Preferred embodiments of the invention include one or more of the following features:
The rotatable element is mounted to rotate about an axis that is substantially parallel to the top surface of the head. The head may include a slot positioned to allow the rotatable element to rotate freely. The dimensions of the rotatable element, and the number of protrusions, are selected so that the tips are circumferentially spaced at intervals that correspond approximately to the average spacing of human teeth. The tips define a circle or a hemisphere. The tips are shaped and sized to penetrate the interproximal regions of the oral cavity. In one embodiment, the plurality of protrusions are generally diamond-shaped in cross section.
The protrusions are sized to wedge into the interproximal spaces and compress the papilla. In one embodiment, the tips have a width of less than 0.080 inch, more preferably less than 0.05 inch, and most preferably from about 0.005 to 0.030 inch. The tips have a height of less than 0.100 inches, more preferably from about 0.005 to 0.060 inches. The length of the protrusions is preferably 0.15 to 0.20 inches. The tips are formed of a material having a durometer reading from 25 to 85 Shore A, more preferably about 55 to 75 Shore A.
The tooth cleansing elements may be elongated elastomeric members, but may also be made from bristles.
The oral brush may include two rotatable elements, or more. Each rotatable element may be mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation that is substantially parallel to the top surface of the head or mounted about an axis angled to the top surface of the head. The axes of rotation of multiple rotating elements may or may not be collinear. In embodiments that mount multiple rotatable members in a non-collinear manner, the angle formed between the rotatable elements may be from 0 to 45 degrees. The rotatable members may be positioned at or near the end of the head.
In another aspect, the invention features an oral brush that includes a body having a head shaped for insertion into the oral cavity, tooth cleansing elements extending from a top surface of the head, and a pair of rotatable elements, each rotatable element including (a) a central portion that is mounted on the head to rotate about an axis of rotation, and (b) a plurality of protrusions extending radially at spaced intervals about the circumference of the central portion, each protrusion having a tip that is shaped to penetrate the interproximal region of the oral cavity, the rotatable elements being mounted so that the axes of rotation are not collinear. In this embodiment, each protrusion preferably defines a generally triangular-shaped cross section.
In another aspect, the invention features an oral brush that includes a body having a head shaped for insertion into the oral cavity, tooth cleansing elements extending from a top surface of the head, and a rotatable element mounted on the head, which includes a central portion and a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the central portion, each protrusion being shaped to wedge between a users teeth, resulting in compression of the papilla.
Preferred embodiments include one or more of the following features. The protrusions are either solid tapered members or tufts of bristles. The protrusions are shaped to penetrate the interproximal area. The axes of rotation define a plane that is substantially parallel to the top surface of the head. The ends of the tips of each rotatable member define a generally diamond shape. When two or more rotatable members are used, the tips of each rotating member define a generally triangular shape.
The invention also features an oral care device that includes a body having a head shaped for insertion into the oral cavity, and a rotatable element mounted on the head. The rotatable element includes one or more of the features described above. Further, the invention may feature an oral care device that includes a body having a head shaped for insertion into the oral cavity at a first end of the body, tooth cleansing elements extending from a top surface of the head, and a rotatable element mounted proximate a second end of the body, opposite the end where the head is located.
In another aspect, the invention features methods of cleansing the interproximal regions of the oral cavity using an oral brush of the invention.
Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, the drawings and the claims.